He served as Dean of the school of journalism at the University of Notre Dame, in South Bend, Indiana, from 1911.

[3] After the deadly Iroquois Theatre fire in 1903, Keeley famously listed all the victims on the front page, leaving the story of what happened to inside the paper, believing that readers wanted to see the names of the dead first.

[4] He was also known for lobbying for a "sane Fourth" of July to stop firework deaths, and for tracking down fugitive Chicago bank president Paul O.

In addition to his journalistic work, Keeley also served as vice-president of the Pullman Company during the 1920s.

Keeley died at his home in Lake Forest, Illinois on June 7, 1934, after being ill since January with heart disease.